A key component to making the new water system function better is slated to be built in the next phase of the New England water rehab project.

That component?

A new water tower.

The project, according to New England City Auditor is slated to begin in early summer, with bidding beginning in April.

After surveying a few locations—including near the current tower—the city council decided that to put it right in town, and more specifically, behind city hall.

There are three main reasons behind relocating the new tower: location, cost, and aesthetics.

Currently, the flow of water goes from Southwest Water into the community and back up to the current water tower north of town. This has caused a decrease in pressure and at times, makes the water stale.

The vault of Southwest Water is near the pool, and by setting up the tower behind city hall the city can create the flow from the source to the tower, and back out to the community, which will make the pressure greater and less of a chance that the water will sit in the tower for long periods of time.

“Which in turn has led to a lot of the decrease in pressure, especially on the west side of town, and we the water gets stale up in the water tower,” said Jung. “It’s a very short distance to hook up, to hook up so it can go directly from the water tower [to the vault].”

Cost is going to be cut too by placing it in town.

The city has received grants from Roosevelt Custer and the state water commission, and after those dollars are used, the remaining balance is about $400,000. According to Jung, that figure would have neared $1,000,000 had it been put near the current location.

By moving it to town, the council—according to Jung—is hoping to turn it into a sort of landmark.

“A lot of the city council members thought it would nice to have it back down [by city hall],” Jung said.

It is going to be a bulb-shaped water tower, and the city plans to paint it and some creative ideas have already been discussed but not finalized.

“It’s really going to look nice, it’ll to stand out, you know, when people drive by on the highway or come into town,” he said. “We’re going to try to make it another landmark of the city.”

The water tower is a vital component to the success of the project. The tower is going to to tie-in every other part of the project, Jung said.

“After this phase, especially when the water tower goes in, is when we’re going to see the most of the improvements,” he said.

According to Jung—from information he has received—the water should taste better and the pressure throughout the city should increase.

A call to Moore Engineering in Bismarck, who is shepherd the project with the city, was not immediately returned.